You are all probably feeling the effects after the festivities of all that turkey, stuffing, roasted potatoes, Christmas pudding with brandy sauce, and those post Christmas gatherings, with yet more food and alcohol. You’re now feeling bloated, over-weight and in great need of some healthier eating for the New Year!!
Worry not, because although it may be winter, you can still release that BarbeSkew from under its cover or out of the shed! Yes a barbecue grill with a rotisserie is the way forward for healthier eating. It’s not all about beef burgers, sausages and ribs.
If your first thoughts are high-calorie, high-fat sausages and burgers – don’t fret! Chicken, fish, vegetables and even fruit are delicious cooked on the BarbeSkew!
So don’t be afraid to get your Charcoal BBQ out now, even if you find it is cold – don’t let the snow stop you either! The luxury of the Charcoal BBQ is that it does the work for you using the rotisserie method! Let it lovingly rotate your food, whilst you wait in the warm.
Here are a few recipes to help tantalise the old taste buds!!
This easy barbecue recipe is great for vegetarians
Halloumi, aubergine and red pepper kebabs is easy barbecue recipe that’s perfect for vegetarians – although meat eaters will love these too.
Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 10 minutes
Serves: 4
4tbsp groundnut oil
2 heaped tbsp harissa (spicy Moroccan paste, available from supermarkets)
1 large red pepper, halved, seeds removed and cut into 12 equal-sized cubes
1 large aubergine, halved and each half cut into 12 equal-sized cubes
3 Brush all the vegetables evenly with the harissa and oil mixture. Place the skewers in the holes where the rear skewer rack is located for approximately 10 minutes or until the vegetables are cooked and the cheese is hot and oozing.
Per serving: 280cals, 24g fat, 10g saturated fat, 10g carbohydrate
Top tip: Cooking with halloumi
Sweetcorn cob cooked on the BBQ is delicious and acquires a taste unobtainable with any other form of cooking. Pre-boil them until just tender, to keep them juicy and speed up cooking time on the “BBQ”. Then, cut the cob in half to make it easier to skewer them. Skewer two per kebab skewer. Place them directly on the grill and turn until golden brown on the outside. Resist the temptation for lashings of butter – you won’t need it!
Beets not just for borscht (Ukrainian Beetroot Soup)
Preparing beets
Tough-yet-tender aubergine and courgette
Preparing aubergine
Courgette
You will need 7-9 short kebab skewers
1 x 200g packet halloumi cheese, cut into 16 large cubes
1 Mix together the oil and harissa.
2 Take a kebab skewer and thread on the first a piece of pepper, then aubergine, followed by a piece of halloumi. Repeat, then add another piece of pepper and aubergine at the end. Repeat with all the skewers until all the vegetables and cheese are used.
Per serving: 280cals, 24g fat, 10g saturated fat, 10g carbohydrate
Top tip: Cooking with halloumi
Halloumi, traditionally from Cyprus or Greece, is made from sheep’s or goat’s milk. It’s brine-cured but not as salty as feta. The stringy, mozzarella-like texture makes it ideal for grilling, but cut it into thickish chunks and keep an eye on it whilst rotating. It holds its shape for a fair while, but when it “goes”, it really goes! So pack your veggies on tight to help stem them in place and to stop them falling off.
Kebabs
Tofu is a popular vegetarian substitute for meat, which is very easy to cube and ideal for kebabs! Alternatively look out for cubed chicken breast, prawns or lean meats. The beauty with kebabs is that your imagination is your limit – most vegetables, and some fruits too, are delicious combined with tofu, poultry, seafood or meat.
Try cherry tomatoes, mushrooms, onion, peppers, courgette or aubergine (cut into ¼ inch cubes), pineapple chunks, apple slices… whatever takes your fancy! Simply put your chosen combination onto skewers, brush with a little olive oil, or find a reduced calorie marinade, and place the skewers in the rear skewer rack and leave the barbecue grill to rotate the kebabs for you, whilst you wait inside in the warm whilst it cooks!
Vegetable Kebabs
Try vegetable kebabs, peppers, mushrooms, courgette, aubergine, any of your favourite vegetables, skewer them, wipe with teriyaki sauce or something else you like, and stick them on the rotisserie until ready.
Marinated Chicken
4 chicken breasts cut into chunks, 2 tablespoons clear honey, 1.5 tablespoons soy sauce, juice & zest of one lime, 2 cloves of garlic. Mix up all marinade ingredients, stir in chicken pieces, leave overnight then skewer them on the kebab skewers. Place them on the rear skewer rack and leave to cook on the rotisserie till ready. This should only take 15-20 mins. Always check the meat is cooked all the way through, before you remove them off the barbecue grill.
Monkfish Kebabs
Monkfish is very meaty so doesn’t flake and fall apart on the barbeque like other fish. It was very simple: monkfish cubes interspersed with chunks of ripe mango, with a little oil drizzled over plus the juice of one lime. Delicious!”
Simply Salmon
Salmon makes a great alternative to meat. Place a whole fillet onto a sheet of foil large enough to make a parcel. Slice half a lemon and layer over the top of the salmon, squeeze the other half over the fish, season and wrap the foil to make a make a generous parcel and refrigerate overnight (to allow the flavours to fuse). It’s up to you whether you remove the salmon from the foil or not, before placing on the charcoal bbq. Place them in the cage skewer and then cook on the BarbeSkew for about 10 minutes – depending on thickness of fillet. This is delicious served with natural, low fat yoghurt, salad and crusty bread.
Low-Fat Garlic Mushrooms
Take a large square of tin foil, spray with a light cooking spray, add some sliced mushrooms, a clove of crushed garlic, freshly milled salt and pepper and wrap up in a parcel. Place the parcel in the cage skewer on the Charcoal bbq for about 15-20 minutes. Serve with French bread lightly toasted on the BBQ.
Hot Corn
The adventurous amongst you can try the traditional Mexican option which involves rubbing the hot, cooked corn in chilli powder. Warning: HOT!
Grilled Asparagus
Asparagus is said to be a delicacy and barbequed asparagus is no exception! Simply take a bunch, trim the bottoms, toss in a tbsp of olive oil and season with freshly milled salt and pepper. Pop on the charcoal bbq BarbeSkew for 2-3 minutes or until to desired tenderness – tasty indeed!!
Marinated Aubergines
Slice an aubergine length ways into just under 1/2 cm slices. Marinate them for about an hour in a small amount of olive oil (1 tsp), some nice vinegar (eg. red wine, balsamic), lemon juice and some chopped herbs. Place them in the cage skewer and cook well. When ready they should be crispy on the outside and gooey in the middle. If you’re having an okay calorie day top with a small amount of crumbled feta cheese.
Potatoes
Jacket potatoes on the rotisserie is one of the easiest things to cook on the barbecue grill. Simply brush them with olive oil and then rub rock salt all over them. Then using the large long skewer, skewer each potato. You should be able to get four to five medium sized jackets on one long skewer.
They should take approximately 45 mins. If you want to speed things up, then you can par-boil the potatoes before placing them on the barbecue grill. This will increase cooking time. Also by par-boiling it means they’ll be easier to skewer.
New potatoes are also brilliant on the BBQ. Boil the new potatoes until just tender, then drain, toss with a tiny touch of olive oil (1tbsp for four portions), garlic, salt and pepper (rosemary if available) – then using the short kebab skewers, skewer each potato. Then place the skewers in the rear skewer rack, and let the rotisserie do all the work!! You’ll end up with delicious roasties!
On the Side
One of the best things about a barbeque is the variety of foods on offer – so don’t limit this simply to what you cook on the charcoal grill. A bit of pre-planning will ensure a healthy choice of accompaniments, steer clear of supermarket coleslaw and potato salad (these are laced with fat) – but if you must, check out the low fat alternatives.
Try a fresh mixed salad with a reduced fat/calorie dressing, some freshly boiled rice (toss in some pineapple, mushrooms… use that imagination!) and some fresh bread – there’s some delightful wholemeal and granary varieties available.
For a side salad try cous cous with roasted veg, garlic & herbs – can be cooked in advance and kept for a day or two
For Dessert
Fruit kebabs are ideal on the barbecue grill! Pop some bananas (in their skins) skewered using the short kebab skewers for about 10 minutes. When you peel them you’ll have a delicious gooey banana dessert!
“Peaches and nectarines sliced are very good too – serve with some fat free yoghurt”
Beets not just for borscht (Ukrainian Beetroot Soup)
What to do with the humble beet? Once you get past the tough skin of this bulbous root vegetable, it has a sweet, earthy taste that’s worth the preparation. If you can prepare a potato, then you can prepare a beet.
Why beets? They are a good source of folate and are rich in potassium, which can help with blood pressure control. Beets are also a good source of dietary fibre and are low in calories. Look for firm, smooth-skinned small- to medium-size globes with crisp, brightly coloured, unblemished leaves.
Preparing Beets
Wrap whole beets, greens removed, skewer them on the long skewer and allow the rotisserie to rotate them until cooked all the way through!
Don’t let the beet greens go to waste. Wash them thoroughly and chop the leaves and stems into bite-sized pieces and place in a covered glass pot with some water on the bottom for steaming on the stove-top. Steam until tender, drain and add a little butter, if you like, a hit of salt and pepper, and some fresh lemon. Zing.
Tough-yet-tender Aubergine and Courgette
Though thought of as veggies, aubergine and courgette are actually fruits. These late-summer goodies can add colour, tender texture, and variety to your usual dinner routine. Bonus: The skins of both courgette and aubergine are edible, so no peeling is required.
Preparing Aubergine
Among other nutrients, aubergine will add calcium, magnesium, potassium and phosphorous to your diet. Choose aubergines that are shiny, plump, firm and unwrinkled — definitive signs of freshness. The fruit should feel heavy for its size, indicating good moisture content.
Slice aubergine lengthwise or into medallions. Lightly coat slices with a bit of olive oil and place in the cage skewers. Keep your eye on them to avoid charring, which causes the formation of carcinogens, and grill until tender. Rotisserie cooking brings out aubergine’s natural flavour, so it’s good right off the barbecue. Add a bit of Parmesan or feta cheese for a yummy contrast in flavour.
Preparing Courgette
Courgette, a type of summer squash, is low in calories and offers a healthy dose of folate, a B vitamin important for the formation of red blood cells, and perhaps best known for its role in preventing birth defects, along with potassium and vitamins A and C. Courgette also contains beta carotene and all types of summer squash provide small quantities of minerals.
Look for smaller bright-coloured courgettes when you’re shopping; they’re younger and have more tender skins. Prepare them the same way you’d prepare aubergine. You can also shred courgettes and toss it with hot pasta to add colour, nutrition and bulk.
Finally I read this article on the net and found it for interesting reading. Just shows that according to this article – Barbecue Sauce has Health Benefits!!
So remember that barbecuing can be a better alternative way of eating healthily! Especially when using the BarbeSkew, which rotates the food and ensures the meat and vegetables are cooked all the way through, without fear of charring the food with dangerous carcinogens.
Also when compared to frying food in fat in a frying pan, cooking on the BarbeSkew BBQ means the fat drops off the food ensuring there is less fat content overall making the food healthier and better for your diet!